Search Results | Heritage Burnaby

Interview with Maureen Olofson by Kathy Bossort October 14, 2015 - Track 3

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory571

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date Range: 1942-1980

Length: 0:06:55

Summary: This portion of the interview is about Maureen Olofson’s description of the food sources on the farm including the garden, food animals, berry picking and bears. She also describes what her parents did after giving up the farm, opening sporting good stores on Hastings Street and then in North Vanco…

1 audio

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Summary: This portion of the interview is about Maureen Olofson’s description of the food sources on the farm including the garden, food animals, berry picking and bears. She also describes what her parents did after giving up the farm, opening sporting good stores on Hastings Street and then in North Vancouver.

Date Range: 1942-1980

Length: 0:06:55

Names: Olofson, Axel; GAK Fur Farm

Subjects: Agriculture; Animals - Livestock; Animals - Bears

Geographic Access: Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area

Historic Neighbourhood: Lochdale (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area: Westridge Area; Lochdale Area

Interviewer: Bossort, Kathy

Interview Date: October 14, 2015

Scope and Content: Recording is of an interview with Maureen Olofson conducted by Kathy Bossort. Maureen Olofson was one of 23 participants interviewed as part of the Community Heritage Commission’s Burnaby Mountain Oral History Project. The interview is mainly about Maureen Olofson’s memories of growing up on her parent’s Burnaby Mountain mink ranch between 1942 and 1950 and about the operation of the farm. She also talks about her parents’ history, her teaching career, and her thoughts about the beauty and value of Burnaby Mountain’s natural area.

Biographical Notes: Maureen Olofson was born 1938 in Glote, Harjedalen, Sweden, to Axel (1906-1998) and Kerstin Margareta (1906-1980). Axel and Kerstin Olofson, who had separately immigrated to Canada in 1928 and 1913 respectively, married in Canada and then returned to Sweden where Maureen was born. They moved to Burnaby in 1942 with their daughters Maureen and Anita Lea, and bought land and a mink ranch on Burnaby Mountain with their partners Gus Skofteby and Karin Ericksson (Kerstin’s sister). The GAK Fur Farm, located in the old Hastings Grove subdivision on 4th Avenue near Curtis Street, was one of the largest mink ranches in BC, an award winning operation with over 1200 mink animals. In 1950 the partners sold the land and the Olofson family moved to rented homes on Sperling Avenue. In 1952 Axel sold the last of his minks and opened a sporting goods store on Hastings Street. In 1954 the family moved to North Vancouver where Axel Olofson reestablished his sports business. Maureen attended Sperling Avenue School from Gr. 1 to Gr. 8 and Burnaby North High School to Gr. 11, completing school in North Vancouver, before going to UBC where she trained as a teacher. She returned to Burnaby in 1977 to teach, retiring in 1997. She is a volunteer with the Swedish Canadian Rest Home Association and the Dania Homes Society. Maureen continues to enjoy activities on Burnaby Mountain and works toward preserving the natural beauty of the mountain.

Total Tracks: 8

Total Length: 1:19:04

Interviewee Name: Olofson, B. Maureen

Interview Location: Maureen Olofson's home in Burnaby

Interviewer Bio: Kathy Bossort is a retired archivist living in Ladner, BC. She worked at the Delta Museum and Archives after graduating from SLAIS (UBC) in 2001 with Masters degrees in library science and archival studies. Kathy grew up in Calgary, Alberta, and, prior to this career change, she lived in the West Kootenays, earning her living as a cook for BC tourist lodges and work camps. She continues to be interested in oral histories as a way to fill the gaps in the written record and bring richer meaning to history.

Collection/Fonds: Community Heritage Commission Special Projects fonds

Series: Burnaby Mountain Oral History Project series

Media Type: Sound Recording

Audio Tracks

Track three of interview with Maureen Olofson

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS196-004/MSS196-004_Track_3.mp3

Grading at Oakalla

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription38099

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [1915] (date of original), copied 1991

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 2.9 x 5.2 cm print on contact sheet 20.7 x 26.7 cm

Scope and Content: Photograph of grading being done during construction at Oakalla Prison Farm. A team of Clydesdale horses is pulling a plough in front of a building with barred windows.

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [1915] (date of original), copied 1991

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Series: Community Archives Collection series

Subseries: Burnaby Image Bank subseries

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 2.9 x 5.2 cm print on contact sheet 20.7 x 26.7 cm

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 370-686

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Accession Number: BHS1999-03

Scope and Content: Photograph of grading being done during construction at Oakalla Prison Farm. A team of Clydesdale horses is pulling a plough in front of a building with barred windows.

Subjects: Agricultural Tools and Equipment - Plows; Transportation - Horses; Buildings - Public - Detention Facilities

Names: Oakalla Prison Farm

Media Type: Photograph

Notes: Title based on caption of photograph; 1 b&w copy negative accompanying; Negative has a pink cast; Caption at bottom of photograph reads, "Grading at Oakalla"

Geographic Access: Oakmount Crescent

Street Address: 5220 Oakmount Crescent

Historic Neighbourhood: Burnaby Lake (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area: Oakalla Area

Images

Grading at Oakalla

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription38100

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [1915] (date of original), copied 1991

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 2.9 x 5.2 cm print on contact sheet 20.7 x 26.7 cm

Scope and Content: Photograph of grading being done during construction at Oakalla Prison Farm. A team of Clydesdale horses is pulling a plough in front of a building with barred windows.

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [1915] (date of original), copied 1991

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Series: Community Archives Collection series

Subseries: Burnaby Image Bank subseries

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 2.9 x 5.2 cm print on contact sheet 20.7 x 26.7 cm

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 370-687

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Accession Number: BHS1999-03

Scope and Content: Photograph of grading being done during construction at Oakalla Prison Farm. A team of Clydesdale horses is pulling a plough in front of a building with barred windows.

Subjects: Transportation - Horses; Buildings - Public - Detention Facilities; Occupations - Labourers; Agricultural Tools and Equipment - Plows

Names: Oakalla Prison Farm

Media Type: Photograph

Notes: Title based on caption of photograph; 1 b&w copy negative accompanying; Negative has a pink cast; Caption at bottom of photograph reads, "Grading at Oakalla"

Geographic Access: Oakmount Crescent

Street Address: 5220 Oakmount Crescent

Historic Neighbourhood: Burnaby Lake (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area: Oakalla Area

Images

Grading at Oakalla

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription38103

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [1915] (date of original), copied 1991

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 2.9 x 5.2 cm print on contact sheet 20.7 x 26.7 cm

Scope and Content: Photograph of grading being done during construction at Oakalla Prison Farm. A team of horses is pulling a plough in front of a building.

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [1915] (date of original), copied 1991

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Series: Community Archives Collection series

Subseries: Burnaby Image Bank subseries

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 2.9 x 5.2 cm print on contact sheet 20.7 x 26.7 cm

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 370-690

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Accession Number: BHS1999-03

Scope and Content: Photograph of grading being done during construction at Oakalla Prison Farm. A team of horses is pulling a plough in front of a building.

Subjects: Agricultural Tools and Equipment - Plows; Transportation - Horses; Buildings - Public - Detention Facilities; Occupations - Labourers

Names: Oakalla Prison Farm

Media Type: Photograph

Notes: Title based on caption of photograph; 1 b&w copy negative accompanying; Negative has a pink cast; Caption at top of photograph reads, "Grading at Oakalla"

Geographic Access: Oakmount Crescent

Street Address: 5220 Oakmount Crescent

Historic Neighbourhood: Burnaby Lake (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area: Oakalla Area

Images

Horse-drawn plough

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription36336

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [1961 or 1962]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 12.5 x 18 cm print

Scope and Content: Photograph of a boy clearing land with a horse-drawn plough at 5288 Hardwick Street, near Still Creek. The two draft horses are standing facing the tree line. The boy is standing behind them, holding on to the plough, and turning to smile at the camera.

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [1961 or 1962]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Series: Community Archives Collection series

Subseries: Tony S. Fabian subseries

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 12.5 x 18 cm print

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 251-001

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: Reproduce for fair dealing purposes only

Accession Number: BHS1991-09

Scope and Content: Photograph of a boy clearing land with a horse-drawn plough at 5288 Hardwick Street, near Still Creek. The two draft horses are standing facing the tree line. The boy is standing behind them, holding on to the plough, and turning to smile at the camera.

Subjects: Agricultural Tools and Equipment - Plows; Transportation - Horses

Media Type: Photograph

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph

Historic Neighbourhood: Burnaby Lake (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area: Douglas-Gilpin Area

Images

Horse-drawn plough, [1961 or 1962] thumbnail

Horse-drawn plough at work

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription36337

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [1961 or 1962]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 12.5 x 18 cm print

Scope and Content: Photograph of a boy clearing land with a horse-drawn plough at 5288 Hardwick Street, near Still Creek. The two draft horses are moving towards the tree line. The boy is moving along behind them, working the plough.

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [1961 or 1962]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Series: Community Archives Collection series

Subseries: Tony S. Fabian subseries

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 12.5 x 18 cm print

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 251-002

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: Reproduce for fair dealing purposes only

Accession Number: BHS1991-09

Scope and Content: Photograph of a boy clearing land with a horse-drawn plough at 5288 Hardwick Street, near Still Creek. The two draft horses are moving towards the tree line. The boy is moving along behind them, working the plough.

Subjects: Transportation - Horses; Agricultural Tools and Equipment - Plows

Media Type: Photograph

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph

Historic Neighbourhood: Burnaby Lake (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area: Douglas-Gilpin Area

Images

Horse-drawn plough at work

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription36338

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [1961 or 1962]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 12.5 x 18 cm print

Scope and Content: Photograph of a boy and a man clearing land with a horse-drawn plough at 5288 Hardwick Street, near Still Creek. The two draft horses are walking towards the camera with their ears up. The boy is standing behind them, holding on to the plough, and the man is walking along beside him. Clothes are ha…

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [1961 or 1962]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Series: Community Archives Collection series

Subseries: Tony S. Fabian subseries

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 12.5 x 18 cm print

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 251-003

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: Reproduce for fair dealing purposes only

Accession Number: BHS1991-09

Scope and Content: Photograph of a boy and a man clearing land with a horse-drawn plough at 5288 Hardwick Street, near Still Creek. The two draft horses are walking towards the camera with their ears up. The boy is standing behind them, holding on to the plough, and the man is walking along beside him. Clothes are hanging to dry on a line that is partially visible on the left.

Subjects: Agricultural Tools and Equipment - Plows; Transportation - Horses

Media Type: Photograph

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph

Historic Neighbourhood: Burnaby Lake (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area: Douglas-Gilpin Area

Images

John Yanko ploughing a field

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription80221

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [194-] (date of original), copied November 1976

Collection/Fonds: Yanko family fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w copy print ; 7.5 x 11.5 cm

Scope and Content: Photograph of John Ivan Yanko ploughing a field using a team of seven horses in Kelliher, Saskatchewan.

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [194-] (date of original), copied November 1976

Collection/Fonds: Yanko family fonds

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w copy print ; 7.5 x 11.5 cm

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 545-246

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No restrictions

Accession Number: 2012-09

Scope and Content: Photograph of John Ivan Yanko ploughing a field using a team of seven horses in Kelliher, Saskatchewan.

Subjects: Geographic Features - Fields; Agricultural Tools and Equipment - Plows; Transportation - Horses

Names: Yanko, John Ivan

Media Type: Photograph

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph; Photograph housed inside envelope on p. 14 of album; Note in black ink on verso of photograph reads: "Dad + 7 horses"

Images

John Yanko ploughing a field, [194-] (date of original), copied November 1976 thumbnail

Mr. Manuel with a plough

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription37512

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [192-] (date of original), copied 1991

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 3.1 x 5.3 cm print on contact sheet 20.3 x 25.3 cm

Scope and Content: Photograph of Mr. Manuel working a plough pulled by two horses at Cassie Avenue (later the location of Metrotown).

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [192-] (date of original), copied 1991

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Series: Community Archives Collection series

Subseries: Burnaby Image Bank subseries

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 3.1 x 5.3 cm print on contact sheet 20.3 x 25.3 cm

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 370-100

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Accession Number: BHS1999-03

Scope and Content: Photograph of Mr. Manuel working a plough pulled by two horses at Cassie Avenue (later the location of Metrotown).

Subjects: Geographic Features - Fields; Transportation - Horses; Agricultural Tools and Equipment - Plows; Occupations - Farmers

Media Type: Photograph

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph; 1 b&w copy negative accompanying

Geographic Access: Cassie Avenue

Historic Neighbourhood: Central Park (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area: Maywood Area

Images

Mr. Manuel with a plough, [192-] (date of original), copied 1991 thumbnail

Ploughing at Nicholson farm

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription38261

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1931

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 10.5 x 15.4 cm

Scope and Content: Photograph of four farmers and a team of horses ploughing a field and the E.W. Nicholson farm in the Broadview district. In the background, to the right, can be seen the Dominion Bridge Co. building (at 3880 Henning Drive).

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1931

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Series: Community Archives Collection series

Subseries: Margaret McCallum subseries

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 10.5 x 15.4 cm

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 375-023

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Accession Number: BHS1986-42

Scope and Content: Photograph of four farmers and a team of horses ploughing a field and the E.W. Nicholson farm in the Broadview district. In the background, to the right, can be seen the Dominion Bridge Co. building (at 3880 Henning Drive).

Subjects: Agriculture - Farms; Occupations - Farmers; Transportation - Horses; Agricultural Tools and Equipment - Plows

Names: McCallum, John; Dominion Bridge Company

Media Type: Photograph

Notes: Title based on caption; A note on the back of the photograph reads: "Ploughing on farm of Mr. E.W. Nicholson - Boundary Road and Great Northern Rlwy. John McCallum in foreground. Dominion Bridge Co. in background.)

Geographic Access: Boundary Road; Henning Drive

Street Address: 2550 Boundary Road; 3880 Henning Drive

Historic Neighbourhood: Broadview (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area: West Central Valley Area

Images

Ploughing at Nicholson farm, 1931 thumbnail

A Pig's Tale

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription14365

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Date: Oct. 2020

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 3 video recordings (mp4) (5 min., 28 sec.) : digital, col., sd., stereo, subtitles

Scope and Content: Item consists of part two in a two part video series "A Taste of History" created by Debbie Liang and Joty Gill, University of British Columbia alumni and graduates from the Asian Canadian & Asian Migration Studies program (ACAM). Part two is titled "A Pig's Tale". The film highlights the history o…

3 images 3 videos

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum fonds

Series: UBC Partnership series

Subseries: A Taste of History Video series - 2020 subseries

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 3 video recordings (mp4) (5 min., 28 sec.) : digital, col., sd., stereo, subtitles

Material Details: Script: Debbie Liang; Joty Gill Narration: Joty Gill Editor: Debbie Liang Subtitles: English; Simplified Chinese; Traditional Chinese Video Appearances: Kathy Lee; Eleanor Lee Illustrations and Animations: Debbie Liang Photos, Images & B-roll: Piggery photo, image courtesy of Elwin Xie; Douglas Road: City of Burnaby Archives, 477-841; Canada Way, City of Burnaby Archives, 556-522, photo by Peg Campbell; Red pig by Debbie Liang; Piglets sleeping, image courtesy of RoyBuri from pixabay, free to use; Chinese Zodiac, image courtesy of RoofOfAllLight from wikimedia, Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license; Pictograph for Home by Debbie Liang; Pigs lying down, image courtesy of Elwin Xie; Council minutes all from heritageburnaby.com; Cleanliness illustration set by Debbie Liang; "The Heathen Chinese in British Columbia" from Library and Archives Canada; Laundryman spitting from Daily News, Prince Rupert in 1911; Slicer on counter at Way Sang Yuen Wat Kee & Co., Burnaby Village Museum BV017.7.290; Way Sang Yuen Wat Kee & Co. Store front, Burnaby Village Museum BV017.7.191; Medical Practices Disagreement illustration by Debbie Liang; Butchering pig, image courtesy of Elwin Xie; Chinatown brolls, courtesy of Food2 group from UBC's 2019 ACAM 390 Class; Black Rotary telephone beside ball pen on white printed paper, image courtesy of Pixabay from pexels.com, free to use; Burnaby Lake on a cloudy day, image courtesy of Flying Pegunin from wikipedia; The Vancouver Sun May 4, 1921 from newspapers.com; Vancouver Daily May 3, 1921 from newspapers.com; Reduce number of pigs illustration by Debbie Liang; Black and white photo of piggery, image courtesy of Elwin Xie; 2019 Piggery illustration by Debbie Liang Music and Sound Effects: "Acoustic Mediation 2" from audionautix; Pig Grunting sounds from Kiddopedia Animasl, Creative Commons 0; "Piano moment" & "November" from bensound.com; "Ding sound effect" from freesoundlibrary; Wuxia2_Guzheng_Pipa by PeriTune http://peritune.com; Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com; Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Video adapted from 2019 BVM intern project by Debbie Liang and Marcela Gomez Special thanks to: UBC: Joanna Yang, Jenny Lu, Denise Fong, Henry Yu; BVM: Kate Petrusa, Amy Wilson Changes to music may have been made for the purposes of this video

Scope and Content: Item consists of part two in a two part video series "A Taste of History" created by Debbie Liang and Joty Gill, University of British Columbia alumni and graduates from the Asian Canadian & Asian Migration Studies program (ACAM). Part two is titled "A Pig's Tale". The film highlights the history of Chinese pig farms also known as "Piggeries" in Burnaby. The film tells the story of how many of these farms were established by Chinese immigrants along Douglas Road (now Canada Way) between the 1890s and 1920s; the importance of the pig in the Chinese Culture as well as a way for Chinese immigrants to make a living and the racism and discriminatory bylaws that the Chinese pig farmers suffered that finally led to the closure of many of these farms. Content references three documented piggery ranches along Douglas Road: Ah Sam; Young Chung and Hop Hin Yen. The films are supported with voice over in english, subtitles, animation along with historical photographs. One version of the film is supported with subtitles in English while two other versions of the film are supported with subtitles in Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese.

History: In 2020, due to the restrictions of COVID-19, University of British Columbia student interns with the Burnaby Village Museum Chinese Canadian History in Burnaby project were asked to create virtual experiences to reimagine Burnaby Village Museum's historical Chinese Canadian programming in remote online spaces. Debbie Liang and Joty Gill (UBC alumni and graduates of Dr. Henry Yu's 2019 summer ACAM 390A Global Seminar to Aisa) returned to work with Burnaby Village Museum to create two short films showcasing the history of Chinese Canadian Chop Suey restaurants and piggeries in Burnaby.